The Adventure Kids Learning Organization (AKL) is a unique community

partnership formed with educators and water utility personnel from Wisconsin:
Joan Roehre (Kenosha Unified School District) John Andersen & Sandi
Masterson (Kenosha Water Utility).

Together with Wisconsin Water for the World and Agua Para la Salud, AKL’s first
expedition launched in April 2008 to El Adelante, Guatemala.

AKL’s mission and focus was simple:

Help construct a water distribution system for Mayan families in the highlands
of Guatemala, while sharing the experience and progress with students in the
United States via interactive videoconferencing.

The pilot expedition was developed for fourth grade classrooms whose
curriculum aligned directly with water observations recently completed. In
addition, foster an awareness of water resources to students living along the
shore of Lake Michigan and compare how very different life is for their
Guatemalan counterparts.

Prior to the construction of the

water tanks, El Adelante women
were solely responsible for
retrieving water for their family’s
daily use and consumption. This
arduous task occupied 4-6 hours
daily in challenging terrain. Upon
completion of tank and pipe
installation, a single faucet and sink
was placed outside the homes of
forty families.

Throughout the two-week

construction period, thirteen
videoconferences were
completed, and over 400
students participated. Each
45-minute videoconference
emphasized grade level
appropriate discussions on
Mayan culture, simple project
summaries and water resource
comparisons.

Along with videoconference

connections, the students were
in constant communication with the AKL team via website, blog and email. The
team communicated daily with participating classes to follow-up on discussion
that often took place after their connection.

Based on overwhelmingly positive feedback and assessment, AKL team members

began planning their second expedition, which took place in March 2009. A
number of goals were added to ensure an educational focus, as well as initiate a
cultural exchange between students. In addition, connections were made
available to a nation-wide audience for grades four through eight.

The 2009 site was Sacbochol, approximately eight miles from the 2008 El
Adelante tank. A great deal of communication prior to arrival included securing a
broadcast site at the village school.

Classrooms across the country responded enthusiastically, resulting in

participation from students in Texas, New York, Illinois and Wisconsin. These
connections allowed direct interaction (via interpreter) between Guatemalan and
US students. Questions asked were sometimes as simple as, “What sports do you
play?” to “What will your families do NOW with the time you’ll be saving without
having to get water?” Participating students were asked during each connection
to count how many water outlets they had in their homes. On average, students
counted 13-18 points at which water was accessible in their home- three per
bathroom, dishwasher, laundry, etc. The Guatemalan homes have one, IF at all.

These connections created engaging, meaningful, real-world experiences and

began fostering true sense and inquiry of service learning. Not only did our
students begin to understand and empathize, THEY WANTED TO HELP!

AKL’s 2009 adventure to Sacbochol benefitted 800 students over the course of 17
videoconferences. Assessments following this year’s project have resulted in the
incorporation of a formal service-learning component for upcoming expeditions.

In October 2009, AKL will launch a new element: a high school level engineering
partnership! US students will actively be involved in the planning and design
process of the March 2010 tank construction project.
Working alongside water utility engineers that will travel to the Guatemalan site-
students will meet regularly to review, assist and observe. Once on-site, the AKL
team will connect daily for Q & A as well as construction updates and progress.

Effective July 2009, a new website will be launched which will eventually host
opportunities for project/materials sponsorship. The AKL team will again invite
students in grades four through eight to connect with the team throughout the
March expedition. Registration will begin in late January 2010.

Adventure Kids Learning has recently been recognized with a national education
award from the American Water Works Association for it’s new, innovative and
creative learning concepts! This award will be presented in June at the AWWA
conference!

For more information or inquiries regarding Adventure Kids Learning, visit the
website at www.adventurekidslearning.org or email
joinus@adventurekidslearning.org.